Spiral Draws 130 Nominations

The Grade III Spiral Stakes has drawn 130 nominations. The venerable race is being sponsored this year by Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati. Also, PP's for all Spiral and Rushway nominees.

Trainer Graham Motion, who owns back-to-back wins of the Spiral with Animal Kingdom in 2011 and Went the Day Well in 2012, nominated four to this year’s running: Crop Report, Cerro, Heat Press and Intrepid Citizen.

Mac the Man won the Turfway Prevue and the 96ROCK Stakes, the first two local preps for the Spiral, and likely would have been favored in the third, the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes last Saturday. Trainer Jeff Greenhill skipped that prep and is training his stable star up to the Spiral.

Mike Maker won the Spiral, then the Lane's End, in 2006 with With a City and 2010 with Dean’s Kitten. He's nominated seven, including stakes winners Animal Style and Admiral Kitten and graded stakes-placed Fear the Kitten. Also nominated from the Maker barn is undefeated J. J. Got Even, a son of 1999 Spiral Stakes winner Stephen Got Even.

The Spiral Stakes is sponsored this year for the first time by Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, which had its grand opening on Monday. The Spiral is supported by the Team Valor Rushaway Stakes (listed) for 3-year-olds and the Grade III Fathead Bourbonette Oaks, the latter a 50-point race for the Kentucky Oaks. This is the first year that all three races have been sponsored.

Entries for the Spiral will be drawn at the new casino on Wednesday, March 20.